By: Michael Minnich
Exponent Telegram
It’s harder to beat the same team a second time, the expression goes.
The favorites in this weekend’s state semifinals hope that isn’t true in rematches against teams they defeated relatively easily in the regular season.
The eastern panhandle’s two top seeds are a win away from packing their bags for Wheeling and the state championship games.
Class AAA
No. 4 Morgantown (10-2) at No. 1 Martinsburg (12-0), Friday, 7:30 p.m.
Martinsburg easily won their quarterfinal against George Washington, 34-0.
It took just 20 seconds for the Bulldogs to go ahead for good thanks to a GW fumble and an 11-yard TD run from Mikey Jackson on the next play.
Jackson rushed for 172 yards, adding a 39-yard score in the fourth quarter, with Dewayne Grantham adding 127 and a touchdown.
Grant Harman replaced ill starter Tyson Bagent at quarterback in the second quarter and ran for two scores.
Morgantown advanced to the semis with a 29-14 win over Hurricane.
Jordan Page rushed 20 times for 146 yards, 141 in the second half, while Ben Waibogha had a 7-yard TD run and a 55-yard return of a blocked field goal to extend a 10-7 halftime lead.
Logan Holgorsen connected with Camron Henderson, who blocked the FG to set up Waibogha’s return, for a 12-yard score.
Martinsburg won at Morgantown on September 23, 33-6.
The Bulldogs quickly built a 26-0 lead as Tyson Bagent and Stephen Edmond connected for the first two TD’s through the air, and Issac Brown returned a punt for a score and caught another touchdown from Bagent.
Mikey Jackson added the final TD.
Morgantown’s lone touchdown came on a Maverick Wolfley touchdown to open the fourth quarter
Martinsburg won four straight state championships from 2010 to 2013 and also made the finals in 2001, 2003, 2004, and 2006.
Morgantown’s last trip to the Super Six came in 2005, when they defeated Nitro in overtime, 27-24.
The Mohigans also defeated Martinsburg in 2004, 38-12, adding to titles in 1983, 2000, and 2002.
Morgantown lost in the final in 1971 and 1998.
Class A
No. 12 Pendleton County (10-2) at No. 1 East Hardy (12-0), Saturday, 1:30 p.m.
East Hardy-Williamstown lived up to the billing last week, with the Cougars rallying twice for a 20-14 win.
After falling behind 7-0, East Hardy evened the score on a 4-yard Phillip Mullin TD run, then trailed again after Trenton Tallman’s 31-yard score.
East Hardy responded with a 13-yard touchdown rush by Corey McDonald early in the second quarter but missed the extra point.
The Cougars took the lead for good on Mullin’s 2-yard score with 8:35 left in the third quarter.
Mullin finished with 124 rushing yards and McDonald rushed for 57 yards and for 207 more, 113 to Jeffrey Mills and 74 to Brett Tharp.
Pendleton County toppled last year’s AA runner-up Tolsia, 48-16.
Luke Cooper ran for four touchdowns and passed for another and Trey Cooper carried for two more.
East Hardy posted a muddy 40-16 win over Pendleton County at home on September 30.
McDonald had three passing touchdowns, including strikes of 97 and 80 yards, and rushed for another score.
The Wildcats are the only team to beat EH in the regular season in the last two years, winning a 18-13 decision in 2015 on a Monday after rain delayed the scheduled kickoff.
East Hardy is a step away from getting a chance to make amends for last year’s 62-0 loss in the state championship game to Magnolia in the Cougars’ first trip to the Super Six.
Pendleton County has never played in a state championship game.